This week in Mexico 5-29-21
On our house project, we have walls going up! Our school classes may be coming to an end, and we are praying for some refugees we serve that have left. Come see some glimpses into our week in Mexico!
Quick links to the other parts this week:
Our House Project
There are a lot of building material shortages, and it’s been a struggle to find all the supplies we need, but we finally got more block and cement this week! Sometimes it takes going to more than 10 different stores to get what we need. I’m hoping as we come out of the pandemic that manufacturing and supply chains will go back to normal. But even with all that, the walls are going up!
We’ve been comparing wood construction to block and how we can frame a house in a week. And many of you have been asking about how we choose. Block is slower. In the past we’ve built with whatever the families wanted, and often desperate need meant they chose wood, just to have a roof over their heads more quickly. But wood is more scarce than ever and has skyrocketed even more than other building materials, so block it is. It’s also less maintenance for the families after it’s built. No risk of termites and no water damage rotting each board.
Look how it’s coming along!
The floor is poured and walls are going up!
The floor is 16×30, so it’s a little casita, but bigger than the “tiny houses” that are popular in the US.
Food distribution
With the Haitian refugees
We arrived this week with the Haitian refugees to find many of them gone! Those who remain said they think they were granted asylum into the US. We have no way of checking on them, so please pray with us that they are ok! The situation at the border is chaotic and likely no better than the hard living conditions they had here so we’re praying they will be protected and cared for until they can reunite with family there.
Now that there was more space in these rooms, a few people who had been living in other settlements came to live here. The situation for them was already so hard before the pandemic, we are praying for those who left, for those still here, and those who just moved in.
⇒ Here’s the post from when we first met them in 2018. Also, look at how little the kids were then!
These were the first two we met of this group here. We heard from people in the area that new refugees had shown up and they were in desperate need of food. So we brought some. They were very suspicious of us, which isn’t uncommon! Why would strangers show up with food with no hidden agenda? Because of Jesus!
Food distribution in nearby areas!
This is the next project we’re looking at doing! We’ve been sourcing some metal sheets and talking to other builders to come up with a solution that will protect them from the rain but that doesn’t require all new buildings for them. It’s been pretty dry for a while so we’re hoping to have something figured out before it rains again!
Our escuelita
We got the announcement that in-person school will begin soon! Vaccinations are going quickly for vulnerable people including all the grandparents, so they think it’s safe to begin. The kids are so excited and we’re figuring out how to help them transition back. We’re also excited for a little more breathing room with just doing after-school stuff, not all school stuff.
And that’s our week in Mexico! Thank you for all your prayers!
See the other parts this week:
Thank you for your love, and your prayers for those we serve around the world! It’s absolutely amazing what happens when we come together and follow the Lord’s leading. I’m beyond grateful for you all!
If you’d like to see more than we can share here, email me for access.
Thank you for keeping us, this ministry, and our outreaches in prayer, and thank you for your support! We couldn’t do any of this without you.
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God bless you!
♥ Samantha